Dr. Yahya Al Naggar

Kontakt/ Adresse

Dr. Yahya Al Naggar, Ph.D.
Experimental Entomologist & Ecotoxicologist

Department of Community Ecology
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ
Theodor-Lieser-Strasse 4 | D-06120 Halle/Saale
Germany

Doris Wolst

 Forschungsschwerpunkte / Research interests

Over the last 13 years, my research interests lie in unraveling the causes of honeybee colony collapse disorder (CCD) which is a current ‘hot’ topic. I'm conducting lab and field experiments to address the effects of different environmental and ecological stressors (pesticides, parasites, pathogens, poor nutrition) on honey bee health, either individually or in combination. I'm also interested in the impact of hazardous heavy metals like cadmium and lead, as well as their nanoparticles and newly emerging pollutants (microplastics) on honey bees' health and other insect species. I use a variety of omics approaches, including meta-barcoding of microbiomes to assess microbial diversity in honey bee gut in response to different stressors, as well as transcriptomics to understand the molecular mechanisms underly pathogen virulence and pesticide toxicity on honey bee health.

Lebenslauf / Akademische Ausbildung od. CV / Scientific Career

  •  Academic positions:

  • 2022-till now: Visiting scientist, community ecology department, UFZ, Halle (Saale), Germany
  • 2021- current: Associate Prof. Zoology department, Faculty of Science, Tanta Uni. Egypt.
  • 2019-2022: Humboldt postdoc fellow; Institute of Biology, MLU Halle (Saale), Germany.
  • 2018: Postdoc fellow, Entomology Department, University of California at Riverside, USA.
  • 2015-2020: Assistant Prof. Zoology department, Faculty of Science, Tanta Uni. Egypt.
  • 2009-2013: Assistant lecturer Zoology department, Faculty of Science, Tanta Uni. Egypt.


  • Education and training:

  • 2003-2007: B.Sc. Biological Sciences, Tanta University, Egypt University.
  • 2009-2011: M.Sc. Insect Ecology, Tanta University, Egypt University.
  • 2012-2015: Ph.D. Insect Ecology, Tanta University, Egypt.
  • 2013-2015: Visiting Ph.D. Scholar, toxicology center, Saskatchewan University, Canada.
  • 2014: Visiting Ph.D. scholar, agricultural campus, Dalhousie university, Canada.



2023 (6)

  • Al Naggar, Y., Shafei, H., Paxton, R. (2023). Transcriptomic responses underlying the high virulence of black queen cell virus and sacbrood virus following a change in their mode of transmission in honeybees (Apis mellifera). Viruses, 15(6), 1284; https://doi.org/10.3390/v15061284
  • Kandel, M., Paxton, R. J., & Al Naggar, Y. (2023). Nationwide Screening for Bee Viruses in Apis mellifera Colonies in Egypt. Insects, 14(2), 172. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14020172
  • Al Naggar, Y., Sayes, C. M., Collom, C., Ayorinde, T., Qi, S., El-Seedi, H. R., ... & Wang, K. (2023). Chronic Exposure to Polystyrene Microplastic Fragments Has No Effect on Honey Bee Survival, but Reduces Feeding Rate and Body Weight. Toxics, 11(2), 100. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11020100
  • El Kholy, S., & Al Naggar, Y. (2023). Exposure to polystyrene microplastic beads causes sex-specific toxic effects in the model insect Drosophila melanogaster. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 204. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-27284-7
  • Ahmed, F. S., Helmy, W. S., El-Din, H. S., & Al Naggar, Y. (2023). Chronic in-hive exposure to a field-relevant concentration of Closer™ SC (24% sulfoxaflor) insecticide altered immunological and physiological markers of honey bee foragers (Apis mellifera). Apidologie, 54(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-022-00987-6
  • Mohamed, I. A., Omar, E. M., Tawfik, A. I., Amro, A., & Al Naggar, Y. (2023). Sublethal effects of herbicides clethodim, haloxyfop-P-methyl, and their mixture on honey bee health. Apidologie, 54(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-022-00982-x

2022 (16)

  • Zheng, X., Al Naggar, Y., Wu, Y., Liu, D., Hu, Y., Wang, K., ... & Peng, W. (2022). Untargeted metabolomics description of propolis's in vitro antibacterial mechanisms against Clostridium perfringens. Food Chemistry, 135061. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.135061
  • El Kholy, S., & Al Naggar, Y. (2022). Exposure to a sublethal concentration of CdO nanoparticles  impairs the vision of the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) by disrupting histamine synthesis and recycling mechanisms. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-24034-0
  • El-Seedi, H. R., El-Wahed, A. A. A., Al Naggar, Y., Saeed, A., Xiao, J., Ullah, H., ... & Khalifa, S. A. (2022). Insights into the Role of Natural Products in the Control of the Honey Bee Gut Parasite (Nosema spp.). Animals, 12(21), 3062. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12213062
  • Al Naggar, Y., Estrella-Maldonado, H., Paxton, R. J., Solís, T., & Quezada-Euán, J. J. G. (2022). The Insecticide Imidacloprid Decreases Nannotrigona Stingless Bee Survival and Food Consumption and Modulates the Expression of Detoxification and Immune-Related Genes. Insects, 13(11), 972. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202749
  •  El-Seedi, H. R., El-Wahed, A. A. A., Zhao, C., Saeed, A., Zou, X., Guo, Z., Al Naggar, Y. & Wang, K. (2022). A Spotlight on the Egyptian Honeybee (Apis mellifera lamarckii). Animals, 12(20), 2749. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12202749
  • El-Sherif, D. M., Eloffy, M. G., Elmesery, A., Abouzid, M., Gad, M., El-Seedi, H. R., ... & Al Naggar, Y. (2022). Environmental risk, toxicity, and biodegradation of polyethylene: a review. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-23382-1
  •  Omar, E. M., Darwish, H. Y., Othman, A. A., El-Seedi, H. R., & Al Naggar, Y. (2022). Crushing corn pollen grains increased diet digestibility and hemolymph protein content while decreasing honey bee consumption. Apidologie, 53(5), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-022-00963-0
  • Qi, S., Al Naggar, Y., Li, J., Liu, Z., Xue, X., Wu, L., ... & Wang, K. (2022). Acaricide flumethrin-induced sublethal risks in honeybees are associated with gut symbiotic bacterium Gilliamella apicola through microbe-host metabolic interactions. Chemosphere, 307, 136030. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136030
  • Al Naggar, Y., Singavarapu, B., Paxton, R. J., & Wubet, T. (2022). Bees under interactive stressors: The novel insecticides flupyradifurone and sulfoxaflor along with the fungicide azoxystrobin disrupt the gut microbiota of honey bees and increase opportunistic bacterial pathogens. Science of The Total Environment, 849, 157941. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157941
  • Algethami, J. S., El-Wahed, A. A. A., Elashal, M. H., Ahmed, H. R., Elshafiey, E. H., Omar, E. M., Al Naggar, Y., ... & El-Seedi, H. R. (2022). Bee pollen: Clinical trials and patent applications. Nutrients, 14(14), 2858. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14142858
  • Hamed, M., Soliman, H. A., Eid, Z., Al Naggar, Y., & Sayed, A. E. D. H. (2022). Dietary Feeding Lycopene, Citric Acid, and Chlorella Alleviated the Neurotoxicity of Polyethylene Microplastics in African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus). Frontiers in Environmental Science, 535. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2022.869727
  • El-Din, H. S., Helmy, W. S., Al Naggar, Y., & Ahmed, F. S. (2022). Chronic exposure to a field-realistic concentration of Closer® SC (24% sulfoxaflor) insecticide impacted the growth and foraging activity of honey bee colonies. Apidologie, 53(2), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-022-00937-2
  •  El-Seedi, H. R., Ahmed, H. R., El-Wahed, A. A. A., Saeed, A., Algethami, A. F., Attia, N. F., Al Naggar, Y., ... & Wang, K. (2022). Bee Stressors from an Immunological Perspective and Strategies to Improve Bee Health. Veterinary Sciences, 9(5), 199. https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci9050199
  • Abouzid, M., El-Sherif, D. M., Al Naggar, Y., Alshehri, M. M., Alothman, S., El-Seedi, H. R., ... & Amer, T. (2022). Investigating the current environmental situation in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region during the third wave of COVID-19 pandemic: Urban vs. rural context. BMC public health, 22(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-12313-3
  • El-Seedi, H. R., Eid, N., Abd El-Wahed, A. A., Rateb, M. E., Afifi, H. S., Algethami, A. F., Al Naggar, Y., ... & Khalifa, S. A. (2022). Honey Bee Products: Preclinical and Clinical Studies of Their Anti-inflammatory and Immunomodulatory Properties. Frontiers in Nutrition, 8, 761267. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2021.761267
  • Yan, S., Wang, K., Al Naggar, Y., Vander Heyden, Y., Zhao, L., Wu, L., & Xue, X. (2022). Natural plant toxins in honey: An ignored threat to human health. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 424, 127682. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.127682

2021 (11)

  • El-Wahed, A. A. A., Khalifa, S. A., Elashal, M. H., Musharraf, S. G., Saeed, A., Khatib, A., Al Naggar, Y., ... & El-Seedi, H. R. (2021). Cosmetic Applications of Bee Venom. Toxins, 13(11), 810. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13110810
  • El Kholy, S., Wang, K., El-Seedi, H. R., & Al Naggar, Y. (2021). Dopamine Modulates Drosophila Gut Physiology, Providing New Insights for Future Gastrointestinal Pharmacotherapy. Biology, 10(10), 983. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology10100983
  • Mustafa, G., Iqbal, A., Javid, A., Manzoor, M., Aslam, S., Ali, A., Al Naggar, Y., ... & Hussain, A. (2021). Antibacterial properties of Apis dorsata honey against some bacterial pathogens. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 29(2), 730-734. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.09.059
  •  Shaldam, M. A., Yahya, G., Mohamed, N. H., Abdel-Daim, M. M., & Al Naggar, Y. (2021). In silico screening of potent bioactive compounds from honeybee products against COVID-19 target enzymes. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 28(30), 40507-40514. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-14195-9
  • Khalifa, S. A., Elshafiey, E. H., Shetaia, A. A., El-Wahed, A. A. A., Algethami, A. F., Musharraf, S. G., Al Naggar, Y., ... & El-Seedi, H. R. (2021). Overview of bee pollination and its economic value for crop production. Insects, 12(8), 688. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12080688
  •  Dar, S. A., Ansari, M. J., Al Naggar, Y., Hassan, S., Nighat, S., Zehra, S. B., ... & Hussain, B. (2021). Causes and Reasons of Insect Decline and the Way Forward. In Global Decline of Insects. IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.98786
  • Zhang, W., Qi, S., Xue, X., Al Naggar, Y., Wu, L., & Wang, K. (2021). Understanding the gastrointestinal protective effects of polyphenols using foodomics-based approaches. Frontiers in Immunology, 2442. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2021.671150
  • Al Naggar, Y., Brinkmann, M., Sayes, C. M., Al-Kahtani, S. N., Dar, S. A., El-Seedi, H. R., ... & Giesy, J. P. (2021). Are honey bees at risk from microplastics?. Toxics, 9(5), 109. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics9050109
  • Dar, S. A., Sofi, M. A., El-Sharnouby, M., Hassan, M., Rashid, R., Mir, S. H., Al Naggar, Y. ... & Sayed, S. (2021). Nesting behaviour and foraging characteristics of Andrena cineraria (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae). Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 28(8), 4147-4154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.04.063
  • Abd El-Wahed, A., Yosri, N., Sakr, H. H., Du, M., Algethami, A. F., Zhao, C., Al Naggar, Y., ... & El-Seedi, H. R. (2021). Wasp venom biochemical components and their potential in biological applications and nanotechnological interventions. Toxins, 13(3), 206. https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13030206
  • Al Naggar, Y., Yahya, G., Al-Kahtani, S., & Stangaciu, S. (2021). Back to Ancient Remedy: Could Inhalation of Aerosolised-Honey and Propolis Tincture Protect Against the COVID-19 Pandemic?. Journal of Apitherapy, 8(2). https://www.japitherapy.com/japitherapy-articles/back-to-ancient-remedy-could-inhalation-of-aerosolisedhoney-and-propolis-tinctureprotect-against-the-covid19-pandemic-64696.html

2020 (7)

  • Al Naggar, Y., Giesy, J. P., Abdel-Daim, M. M., Ansari, M. J., Al-Kahtani, S. N., & Yahya, G. (2020). Fighting against the second wave of COVID-19: Can honeybee products help protect against the pandemic?. Saudi journal of biological sciences, 28(3), 1519-1527. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sjbs.2020.12.031
  • Abd El-Wahab, T. E., Shalaby, S. E., Al-Kahtani, S. N., Al Naggar, Y., Jamal, Z. A., & Masry, S. H. (2020). Mode of application of acaricides against the ectoparasitic mite (Varroa destructor) infesting honeybee colonies, determines their efficiencies and residues in honey and beeswax. Journal of King Saud University-Science, 33(1), 101236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jksus.2020.101236
  • El Kholy, S., Giesy, J. P., & Al Naggar, Y. (2020). Consequences of a short-term exposure to a sub lethal concentration of CdO nanoparticles on key life history traits in the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster). Journal of Hazardous Materials, 410, 124671. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124671
  •  Al Naggar, Y., & Paxton, R. J. (2020). The novel insecticides flupyradifurone and sulfoxaflor do not act synergistically with viral pathogens in reducing honey bee (Apis mellifera) survival but sulfoxaflor modulates host immunocompetence. Microbial biotechnology, 14(1), 227-240. https://doi.org/10.1111/1751-7915.13673
  • Al Naggar, Y., Dabour, K., Masry, S., Sadek, A., Naiem, E., & Giesy, J. P. (2020). Sublethal effects of chronic exposure to CdO or PbO nanoparticles or their binary mixture on the honey bee (Apis millefera L.). Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 27(16), 19004-19015. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-3314-2
  • Al Naggar, Y., & Paxton, R. J. (2020). Mode of transmission determines the virulence of black queen cell virus in adult honey bees, posing a future threat to bees and apiculture. Viruses, 12(5), 535. https://doi.org/10.3390/v12050535
  •  El-Sofany, A., Al Naggar, Y., Naiem, E., Giesy, J. P., & Seif, A. (2020). Authentication of the botanical and geographic origin of Egyptian honey using pollen analysis methods. Journal of Apicultural Research, 59(5), 946-955. https://doi.org/10.1080/00218839.2020.1720950

2019 (3)

  • Al Naggar, Y., & Baer, B. (2019). Consequences of a short time exposure to a sublethal dose of Flupyradifurone (Sivanto) pesticide early in life on survival and immunity in the honeybee (Apis mellifera). Scientific reports, 9(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-56224-1
  • Al Naggar, Y., Giesy, J. P., & El Kholy, S. (2019). Sublethal effects of chronic exposure to chlorpyrifos or imidacloprid insecticides or their binary mixtures on Culex pipiens mosquitoes. Physiological Entomology, 44(2), 123-132. https://doi.org/10.1111/phen.12278
  •  Dabour, K., Al Naggar, Y., Masry, S., Naiem, E., & Giesy, J. P. (2019). Cellular alterations in midgut cells of honey bee workers (Apis millefera L.) exposed to sublethal concentrations of CdO or PbO nanoparticles or their binary mixture. Science of the Total Environment, 651, 1356-1367. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.09.311

2018 (5)

2017 (2)

  • Al Naggar, Y., Codling, G., & Giesy, J. P. (2017). Human dietary intake and hazard characterization for residues of neonicotinoides and organophosphorus pesticides in Egyptian honey. Toxicological & Environmental Chemistry, 99(9-10), 1397-1408. https://doi.org/10.1080/02772248.2017.1384828
  • Al Naggar, Y., Ghorab, M., & Mohamed, K. (2017). Phytoecdysteroids: isolation and biological applications. American journal of life sciences, 5(1), 7-10. https://doi: 10.11648/j.ajls.20170501.12

2016 (4)

2015 (4)

  • Al Naggar, Y., Tan, Y., Rutherford, C., Connor, W., Griebel, P., Giesy, J. P., & Robertson, A. J. (2015). Effects of treatments with Apivar® and Thymovar® on V. destructor populations, virus infections and indoor winter survival of Canadian honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies. Journal of Apicultural Research, 54(5), 548-554. https://doi.org/10.1080/00218839.2016.1186917
  • Al Naggar, Y., Wiseman, S., Sun, J., Cutler, G. C., Aboul-Soud, M., Naiem, E., ... & Giesy, J. P. (2015). Effects of environmentally-relevant mixtures of four common organophosphorus insecticides on the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.). Journal of insect physiology, 82, 85-91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinsphys.2015.09.004
  • ALNaggar, Y., Vogt, A., Codling, G., Naiem, E., Mona, M., Seif, A., ... & Giesy, J. P. (2015). Exposure of honeybees (Apis mellifera) in Saskatchewan, Canada to organophosphorus insecticides. Apidologie, 46(5), 667-678. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-015-0357-y
  • Al Naggar, Y., Codling, G., Vogt, A., Naiem, E., Mona, M., Seif, A., & Giesy, J. P. (2015). Organophosphorus insecticides in honey, pollen and bees (Apis mellifera L.) and their potential hazard to bee colonies in Egypt. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 114, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2014.12.039 

2014 (1)

  • Al Naggar, Y., Naiem, E., Mona, M., Giesy, J. P., & Seif, A. (2014). Metals in agricultural soils and plants in Egypt. Toxicological & Environmental Chemistry, 96(5), 730-742. https://doi.org/10.1080/02772248.2014.984496

2013 (1)

  • Al-Naggar, Y., Mona, M. H., Naiem, E. S., & Seif, A. I. (2013). Honey Bee tissues as a biomarker for Environmental pollution with heavy metals. Delta Journal of Science, 36(2), 38-41. https://djs.journals.ekb.eg/

 

  • Helmholtz Visiting Researcher Grant at Department of Community Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Halle/Saale, Germany (April-July 2023).
  • Alexander von Humboldt foundation return grant at Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Egypt (2022-2023).
  •  Award of sheikh eng.: Salem bin Sultan El kasemy for Best Scientific research in the field of honey bees in the Arab World (Abu Dabi 2021).
  • COLOSS award for Excellence 2021 (5000.- CHF)
  • Best Research Award: International Research awards on new science inventions (2020).
  • Alexander von Humboldt postdoc fellowship at Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Institut für Biologie, Halle (Saale), Germany (2019-2022).
  • Short term Postdoctoral fellowship at Entomology Department, University of California at Riverside, USA (for six months) funded by Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education [ 01/07/2018].
  • Scientific publication awards Tanta University, Egypt (total of 400.000 EP).
  • Gold Medal award for Best presentation at 13th Asian Apicultural Association Conference (Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2016).
  • Travel award (400$) for 35th SETAC North America Conference 2014.
  •  Best platform award at Acadian Entomological Society meeting 2014.
  • PhD scholarship: Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education [ 2013-2015].